About unCOMN ceramics

Hi! I’m Gretchen. I’m the owner and creator behind unCOMN ceramics. I’ve been an undercover artist most of my life. I did study sculpture and jewelry in high school and college, though…so I’ve got that going for me…which is nice. I’m a lifelong crafter, I’ve taken many glass-blowing classes, I’ve worked in marketing, have managed several websites, and I love sharing my creativity with the world. With the help of my supervisors Peanut, Butters, and Jelly, (and at times, my husband Marc) I can finally turn my family’s hobby/VERY small business into my own.

Gretchen Wodniak
unCOMN ceramics Owner/Creative

While I miss Denver and Colorado, my home in Moorhead is just what I needed to start my business. I enjoy the slower pace of rural Minnesota and I do not miss Denver traffic!

Peanut, Butters, and Jelly
Supervisors

These cats sure know how to keep me focused and creating. They keep an eye on my calendar to ensure I meet my deadlines. And give them catnip regularly.

Growing up in Indianapolis, my parents and maternal grandparents would create slip ceramic pieces in their spare time (and whenever my grandparents visited from Colorado). They would pour Christmas trees, chess pieces, plant spikes, and piggy banks…some of their creations I still use and have and display. We had enough molds my dad had to make heavy-duty shelves in our basement to hold them all. 

As a kid, of course, I wanted to help. My siblings and I would work on greenware by sanding down rough edges and seams. At the time, I didn’t realize this was quality time with my family, especially with my visiting grandparents. As I grew older, it is a memory I will never forget.

I moved to Denver for college; over time, my parents moved to Colorado as well. After my grandparents passed, my mom and I talked about the ceramic molds, glazes, and two kilns collecting dust in the corner of my granddad’s garage. It was agreed that I would take these cherished items as soon as I had a home with enough space.

Years later, I purchased my first home in North Denver. Unfortunately, my 1890s home wasn’t large enough for all the ceramic stuff. So more dust was collected on the kilns and materials but in a different location; the garage of my parent’s home in Pueblo West.

After the pandemic, my husband and I decided to sell our Denver home and move to the Fargo-Moorhead area. He had grown up in Fargo and most of his family still lives there, specifically his grandmother. Moving was very difficult, but with the help of some AMAZING friends and family, eastward bound we headed with our three cats and one dog.

We purchased a home in Moorhead, just minutes away from Grandma. This home is perfect, especially for a ceramics studio. In addition, compared to our Denver home, the electricity was installed in the last century, not two centuries ago. As we settled into our new home, my parents drove to Moorhead with all the molds, glazes, tools, and kilns.

After some time, I was able to finally start up my business and start creating my artwork. After much thought, I decided to combine my love for Colorado and my new home in Minnesota into my business name, thus “unCOMN ceramics”. I enjoy working with this medium and sharing my creativity with y’all. Eventually, I will offer custom pieces. You can find unCOMN ceramics at various craft shows and fairs in the FM area as well as various stores in Fargo and Colorado. For more information, check out my contact and event info page!